Essentials for Camping Off the Grid

If you’re like the majority of RV campers, you likely stick to well-established campgrounds and RV parks when you’re looking for a place to moor your rig. Maybe you sometimes overnight in a parking lot, but that’s about it. There’s another way to camp, though: it’s called boondocking and it involves going off the grid with your RV in order to get more freedom and solitude and to get closer to nature. It’s a fun alternative, but it takes some preparation to pull off. Here are some indispensable items if you’re going to go camping off the grid in your RV.

An Energy Source

Above all else, you need to be able to power your RV and its systems, lest you downgrade to camping in a tent. You can manage this by installing some solar panels and/or bringing along a generator. A combination of the two often works best, but if you’re only planning to boondock for a short period of time, you can get by on a solar panel configuration alone. Generators are recommended if you plan to put down anchor for an extended period of time.

Bring several spare batteries. Your RV has a some installed, but the juice might run out while you’re off the grid. You can rotate fresh batteries in while using your solar panels/generator to recharge the empty batteries.

Lighting

If you want to continue to do things after the sun goes down, you’re going to want to have some lighting along. Remember, if you’re off the grid there won’t be streetlights nearby (unless your idea of boondocking is the backyard!). Bring solar lights, which offer one of the easiest lighting solutions for boondockers. They charge during the day and provide ample light for the evening. Just be sure to shell out enough money for quality lights.

Climate Control

Using your RV’s onboard A/C system hogs a lot of energy and drains batteries very quickly. While it’s not a problem with an electric hookup, out in the sticks you’re going to see that your power reserves drain at an alarming rate if you’ve got your cooling or heating on. Bring a low-volt fan along for cooling purposes. There are 12V fans available that will have minimal impact on your power supply. For heating, try a propane-powered unit.

Save on Water

Your water supply is a commodity when boondocking. Conserve it as much as possible by installing water-saving devices, such as a showerhead and faucets that aerate water or slow down the flow of water so that you’re using less water when you turn on the tap.

Visit Richardson’s RV Centers

If you’re ready to start your own RV adventures, on or off the grid, stop by Richardson’s RV Center to tour motorhome and travel trailer floorplans and find the RV that’s right for your family. Take the comfort of the indoors with you wherever you go with your own RV from Richardson’s RV Center! If you need supplies for boondocking, we’re just the place to pick those up.